Nothing damages sender reputation faster than hard bounces, spam complaints and risky contacts. Even a perfectly designed campaign can collapse if you send to invalid addresses, angry subscribers or dangerous list segments. In 2026, mailbox providers enforce strict protections against low-quality sending behavior — and platforms like Brevo monitor senders closely to prevent abuse.

This guide by Sendexy explains the exact method to handle high-risk contacts without hurting user experience or deliverability. You’ll learn how to identify problematic contacts, suppress them ethically, adjust segmentation, align workflows, maintain CRM accuracy, and keep your domain reputation strong from every angle.

Why Risky Contacts Are the #1 Deliverability Threat

When you send to the wrong contacts, you trigger:

• spam filters
• IP/domain reputation damage
• inbox placement issues
• automation breakdown
• CRM accuracy distortion
• complaints that hurt long-term performance

Even a small percentage of:

• invalid emails
• spam-traps
• angry users
• bots

… can destroy your deliverability for months.

Platforms like Brevo evaluate:

• complaints per 1,000 emails
• hard bounce ratio
• engagement over time
• warm-up behavior
• user trust signals

Managing risky contacts is not optional — it is mandatory for survival.

Deep Feature Explanation: Understanding Risk Categories

1. Hard Bounces

A hard bounce is a permanent failure. Reasons include:

• invalid email
• fake domain
• blocked server
• dead inbox

Hard bounces MUST be removed immediately. Brevo auto-suppresses them, but you must manually review the patterns.

2. Soft Bounces

Temporary delivery issue:

• mailbox full
• server timeout
• temporary block

Soft bounces require:

• monitoring
• attempt tracking
• suppression if repeated

3. Spam Complaints

A complaint is the most damaging signal. Even a rate of 0.1% harms deliverability.

If a user complains:

• remove instantly
• exclude from future sends
• evaluate the source of acquisition

4. Risky Contacts

These include:

• inactive 120+ days
• role-based emails (admin@, info@)
• temporary domains
• spam-trap suspects

Not all should be deleted — but all need caution and segmentation.

Workflow Logic for Handling Risky Contacts

Brevo workflows can automate safe removal:

1. Hard Bounce Automation

• Trigger → bounce event
• Action → remove from all lists
• Action → tag as “invalid”
• Action → suppress permanently

2. Complaint Automation

• Trigger → complaint filed
• Action → remove from all segments
• Action → unsubscribe immediately
• Action → tag “complaint-risk”

3. Inactivity Workflow

• Trigger → 90 days inactive
• Send → gentle re-engagement #1
• Wait → 7 days
• If no open → re-engagement #2
• Wait → 10 days
• If still inactive → suppress

4. Soft Bounce Monitoring

• 1st bounce → monitor
• 2nd bounce → reduce frequency
• 3rd bounce → suppress

Good workflows reduce manual cleanup work dramatically.

Segmentation: The Safety Layer Before Removal

Segmentation prevents good subscribers from being mistakenly removed. Use the following safety structure:

1. Activity Segments

• active (30–60 days)
• warming (60–90 days)
• low-engagement (90–120 days)
• dormant (120+ days)

2. Risk Segments

• soft bounce 2+
• spam-trap suspects
• role-based emails
• temporary domains

3. Complaint Segmentation

Complaints must never be segmented — they must be removed instantly.

Segmentation ensures no legitimate subscriber is harmed during cleaning.

Deliverability Mapping for High-Risk Contacts

Deliverability engines evaluate:

Positive Signals

• low bounce rate
• zero complaints
• removal of risky contacts
• gradual sending patterns

Negative Signals

• sending to invalid emails
• complaints from subscribers
• role accounts receiving bulk mail
• inactivity-based mass sending

Even one complaint weighs more than thousands of opens. Handling risk properly is essential.

2026 Compliance Alignment

For Brevo approval and long-term safety, follow these rules:

• never send to purchased lists
• remove complainers instantly
• auto-suppress hard bounces
• segment risky emails
• avoid role-based mass sending
• follow permission-based engagement only

Compliance ensures mailbox providers trust you.

CRM Usage for Monitoring Risk

CRM fields allow you to track risk accurately:

• last_open_date
• last_click_date
• bounce_status
• risk_score
• complaint_history
• subscription_type

CRM automation lets you:

• identify danger patterns
• route contacts into safety segments
• prevent risky contacts from receiving campaigns

CRM is your quality-control engine.

Double Opt-In: The Ultimate Risk Prevention Tool

Double opt-in prevents:

• fake signups
• bot-generated addresses
• high bounce rates
• complaints from surprised users
• wrong contact expectations

Double opt-in should be the default for all new domains.

Best Practices for Handling Hard Bounces & Complaints

• remove hard bounces instantly
• unsubscribe complainers immediately
• segment risky domains
• reduce frequency for soft bounces
• use gentle re-engagement logic
• avoid aggressive deletion without segmentation
• monitor bounce logs weekly

These practices protect both users and your sender reputation.

Use Cases Where Risk Handling Is Critical

• new domain warm-up
• migration to Brevo
• large automations
• high-volume batch campaigns
• behavior-based workflows

Strong risk management improves every sending scenario.

Optimization Routine for Long-Term Reputation Safety

Weekly Tasks

• review bounce logs
• monitor complaint rate
• update risky segments

Monthly Tasks

• audit list quality
• refresh suppression rules
• run re-engagement flow
• update CRM risk scoring

Long-term deliverability depends on consistent risk monitoring.

Pros & Cons of Strict Risk Handling

Final Verdict

Handling hard bounces, complaints and risky contacts the right way is the difference between long-term deliverability strength and constant inbox struggles. Brevo’s ecosystem rewards responsible senders who protect users, maintain healthy segments, remove invalid contacts and follow ethical hygiene practices.

Your list is only as strong as the safety rules behind it. Build those rules carefully — and your sender reputation will remain protected for years.